Tabling chattels

Kay asks:
(updated on Wednesday, December 10th 2014)

I'm currently overseas and have rented out my property in NZ. I've left a table behind that the tenant doesn't want, even though it's listed in the chattels. Do I need to remove it? Or is it considered part of the rental agreement, so therefore the tenants need to make their own arrangements?

Our Experts Answer:

The easy way of answering this question is to turn it back to front and ask yourself whether, if you wanted to remove the table, the tenant would allow it. Common sense will tell you of course not! When you let the property the agreement was made on the basis of “what you see is what you get”. The property condition and chattels report, upon which you and the tenant presumably agreed, should have listed the table as a part of the tenancy. If that is the case, then you are not required to remove (and find alternative storage for) any item of furniture. In the absence of any agreement otherwise, it must remain in the property until the end of the tenancy.

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